Dave Matthews Band

DMB’s new album Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King is said to be their most ambitious project yet, but the first single released for download from the album is not the best indicator. While its core sound is vintage DMB – big instrumentation, clear soaring vocals and the requisite amount of irony – there’s not much of a hook to wrap your ears around. Chances are the song will be forgotten as soon as you hear another. The rambling lyrics alternate between hackneyed irony and wide-eyed wonderment on each verse – “Funny the way it is/And if you think about it/Somebody’s goin’ hungry/And someone else is eatin’ out” – but there’s only so many times Dave Matthews can get away with the same style of lyricism. After the song’s done you’re still not quite sure what to make of it: On the bright side, it’s a typical DMB song, but then again, on the downside, it’s a typical DMB song.